


Pretend

by LinksLipsSinkShips



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, pining!Rhett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 07:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14130639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinksLipsSinkShips/pseuds/LinksLipsSinkShips
Summary: Link asks Rhett on a date... but just for pretend. Unfortunately, Rhett's struggling with pretending when the feelings he's holding are real.





	Pretend

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt "Just pretend to be my date" from ToddlineBling.

“Just pretend to me my date, man,” Link pleaded. “I don’t want to go alone.”

“But why are we pretending it’s a date?” Rhett pushed. “People go to movies together all the time and it’s not a date.” He wasn’t against the idea, he just wanted Link to say it.

“ _ This  _ movie? Two middle-aged, straight guys going together to this movie? Everyone’s going to think it’s a date. Please. Going alone just feels weird, Rhett.” Rhett didn’t take time to correct him on his statement, even if Link had missed the mark slightly.

Rhett had heard about the movie. What he hadn’t realized was Link’s desire to go see it. Sure, he’d wanted to see it. It didn’t seem like the kind of film Link would care for, though, artsy and indie and not at all like the things he knew Link liked when he went to see a movie. He hadn’t thought about asking Link to go see it with him at all when he’d first thought about seeing it. It wasn’t until he saw the trailer pulled up on Link’s screen, the way Link was totally enthralled by it and tearing up at some of the scenes, that he realized Link  _ really  _ wanted to see it. And yet, he still didn’t ask. He worried about the implications that it held, ones that Link was putting out there at this very moment.

“Okay,” Rhett agreed. “I’ll pretend to be your date.” Rhett had hoped Link would say he wasn’t just pretending, that it  _ was  _ a date, that they were seeing the movie that Rhett would have dreamed of seeing when he was younger, something that would have made him feel more okay with the things he felt, feelings he’d locked down deep inside of himself in rural North Carolina.

“So it’s a date, then?” Link asked. “The listing here says it’s on at eight tonight.”

“Then I guess I’ll pick you up at seven,” Rhett said.

“You’ll pick me up?” Link asked.

“Well, if you want it to be a date,” Rhett reminded him, “then I guess picking you up seems like the right thing to do.”

Link nodded and agreed. At home, he didn’t expect himself to be so nervous, to be all worked up as if it were an  _ actual  _ date.  _ It’s not a real date,  _ Link reminded himself. It didn’t stop him from using an extra spritz of cologne though, pulling out the best-fitting graphic tee he had in his closet to go with the skinny jeans and boots that he’d selected to match. When his doorbell rang, he tugged on his jacket and headed for the door.

Rhett stood in front of his apartment door holding a bouquet of flowers. It was a hodgepodge pairing of sunflowers, daisies, and sprigs of greenery and baby’s breath, things that didn’t seem like they should go together, but somehow looked nice regardless. Link could feel himself blushing at the sight of them.

“Rhett,” he cautioned, “you don’t… you didn’t have to pretend  _ this  _ hard.” He took the flowers carefully from Rhett’s hand, half expecting him to say he was just kidding and that he’d picked them up for a girlfriend or something. Instead, though, he gave them to Link willingly, stepping inside the doorway and waiting patiently as Link filled a glass of water, a tall iced tea glass in place of a vase.

“I just want it to be convincing,” Rhett remarked. Neither of them commented on the fact that there was no one here to convince. “You ready?”

The two sat quietly in the car, not talking about the fact that they were pretending to date. Instead, Rhett turned up the volume on music, something they’d both know and love from their teenage years, country music that was a little too old to be considered current, but not old or treasured enough to be a classic.

When they approached the ticket window, Link reached for his wallet and waited behind Rhett in line. Sure, they were pretending it was a date, but that was something they could affect inside. Rhett stepped forward. “Two for the eight o’clock of  _ Call Me By Your Name _ , please,” he said. He passed the girl working the ticket counter, loudly smacking her gum, his debit card.

“Rhett,” Link hissed, appearing at his side. Rhett just turned back to the girl at the ticket counter and smiled, retrieving his card and taking the tickets.

“What are we thinking?” Rhett asked. “Popcorn? Candy?”

“Whatever it is, I’m buying. Flowers? Paying for my ticket?” Link huffed slightly. “I only asked you to pretend to be my date, man. You don’t have to do all of this.” The words stung Rhett. Link  _ had  _ only asked him to pretend. But it fulfilled a need in him, a longing he’d had since he’d been younger. One that held a universe where he and Link felt okay to be together. Link’s reminder that it was all pretend was too real right now. He knew he wasn’t going to get a kiss at the end of the night or anything. He wasn’t delusional, and hadn’t forgotten this was pretend. But he wasn’t ready to give up the illusion just yet.

“Then pretend better,” Rhett encouraged. “You can always get me back the next time we grab lunch.”  _ Don’t make me stop pretending yet. _ Rhett grabbed the snacks he knew Link preferred, anything with peanut butter in it, and of course a large container of popcorn.

“Split a drink?” Link asked. “I’ll grab two straws.” He pointed at his lip. There was nothing there, but Rhett knew the implication. Herpes.

“Sounds good, bo,” Rhett smiled. It was an improvement, a sign that Link was trying to pretend like it was actually a date. It was the kind of thing a couple would do at the theatre, sharing a drink. Link filled the cup carefully, pouring off the fizz and topping it off before putting a lid on. Rhett didn’t mean to stare as intently as he did, but he couldn’t help but look at Link with warmth. For tonight, it was pretending to date. The rest of his life it was pretending he  _ wasn’t _ interested. Rhett wondered if there was ever a moment in his life where he didn’t have to pretend in either direction.

Link found their seats and nestled the drink into the cupholder next to himself. Rhett would have to reach if he wanted the drink, and for a moment he was annoyed that Link hadn’t put it in the cupholder between them since they were sharing. But Link lifted the armrest between their seats. Rhett looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“So the popcorn fits,” Link said quietly. Rhett nodded and looked at the bucket in his hand, drizzled thoroughly with extra butter, then nestled it between them.

Artful shots of peach orchards overtook the screen as Link picked up popcorn a few kernels at a time and placed it in his mouth. He was glued to the screen, but Rhett, as much as he wanted to see the movie, found himself spending more time sneaking glances at Link than paying attention to the screen.

Link reached into the bucket, and at the one time Rhett was actually watching the screen instead of where their hands were going, they brushed. Rhett pulled away quickly. The last thing he wanted was for Link to think that he’d done it on purpose. He hadn’t, actually, but if Link thought he had, he figured it would be a problem.

Instead, Link let go of the popcorn he’d been holding, leaving his hand in the bucket. When Rhett reached for another piece, he found Link’s hand still there. It was positioned so it would be impossible to not brush against it. If Rhett wanted a bite of popcorn, there was no avoiding Link’s hand. He tried to slip his hand under Link’s to reach popcorn, to send a clear message of  _ I promise I’m not trying to hold your hand _ , but when he moved, he felt Link’s fingertips move, grazing the back of his hand as if to gently tickle it, to say “hey, I’m here.”

Rhett let his hand still, releasing the popcorn he held between his fingers, waiting. If there was going to be a move, real or pretend, Link was going to have to be the one to make it after he’d accused Rhett of pretending too hard all evening long. Rhett didn’t figure he would, of course, but he waited nonetheless. He counted down from five. If Link didn’t make the move, he’d be lingering too long and it would be obvious what he was doing.

_ Five _ . Rhett picked up a piece of popcorn between two fingers.  _ Four _ . He dropped it again, then shifted his hand as if he was almost stirring the popcorn, trying to make it seem like he was digging for the right piece instead of waiting for Link to decide what was happening here.  _ Three _ . He let his hand still again.  _ Two _ . Link moved his hand down, colliding it with Rhett’s and entwining his fingers between Rhett’s.  _ Oh _ .

There was no mistake, Link was holding his hand. Awkwardly, of course, with Rhett’s sweaty palm turned the wrong way and getting all over the popcorn, Rhett imagined, but it was something regardless.  _ You’re just pretending _ , Rhett reminded himself. Of course Link would try to hold his hand, of course he’d try to make it seem like this was a date, even though no one around them was paying attention to their hands. They were all paying attention to Elio leading Marzia into the darkness toward the water.

Rhett moved his hand, though, turning it to actually take Link’s hand, keeping his fingers spread and palm open to let Link take the lead again, just in case the movement had shied him away from it. But Link did take his hand, lifting it out of the popcorn. His free hand moved to the popcorn bucket, tugging it out from under their hands and placing it on the floor beneath him. Rhett looked over at him, a sheepish grin on his face while he nudged an inch or two closer to Rhett.

_ You’re just pretending _ , Rhett reminded himself again. It was the reminder that he had as Link scanned the theatre, looking at other couples there to see the film to see what they were doing. It was as if he wanted to see what the appropriate level of contact was if you were supposedly dating. But Rhett could already tell, so he made a move, draping his arm over Link’s shoulders. He half expected Link to jerk away, to return to holding hands or to cease contact altogether, pull the bucket back between them, and pretend it never happened. Instead, Link snuggled in, relaxing his head onto Rhett’s shoulder.

Link’s hand found its way to Rhett’s other hand, taking it so they were both holding hands and so Rhett had his arm around Link. It felt surprisingly intimate, and Rhett didn’t mind when his arm fell asleep. But as the movie came to an end, Rhett found himself longing for the film to be longer. Tears streamed down his face but he didn’t move to wipe them away, the scenes powerful and painful but the desire to cling to Link’s hand stronger. He could feel Link shaking in his arms, crying as he watched Elio cry on screen. It was hard to watch.

As the credits rolled, Rhett fought to remain still, to keep his arm around Link as long as possible. Link didn’t move, didn’t shift away like Rhett expected, until the screen went black and then moved to the pre-trailers advertisements. For a moment, Rhett wondered if Link had fallen asleep. The man could sleep anywhere. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Finally, though, Link shifted, unlinking their fingers and dipping out from under Rhett’s shoulder. He moved away, refusing to look at Rhett as he picked the bucket up off the ground. His lack of eye contact made it clear to Rhett-- it really had been just for the people around them. They walked out of the theatre, with Link bumping shoulders with Rhett accidentally all the way. He was standing, walking, too close. But after how close they’d sat in the theatre, Rhett thought little of it. The game was up, the pretending was over. Rhett would drive him home, Link would climb out of the car, and they’d see each other at work the next day like nothing had ever happened. It was only pretend, just one night, and Rhett’s coach was about to turn back into a pumpkin.

Rhett drove home, the pair staying quiet. Link brought up scenes in the movie and Rhett responded, but silence fell between them too easily until Rhett waited for Link to speak again. He rested his arm on the center console, silently begging Link to reach over and grab his hand. Eventually, Link did. Rhett didn’t want to say anything, to remind Link they no longer had to pretend to be on a date. But Link seemed to sense what Rhett wasn’t willing to ask. He looked at him, then down at their hands.

“Can we just pretend a little bit longer?” Link asked quietly. Rhett’s heart ached.

“Sure,” he said softly.  _ Just pretend _ .

As he turned onto Link’s street, he resisted the urge to drive past Link’s building by accident, to overshoot and have to go around the block, to force them to have another minute or two before the spell was broken. He didn’t, though, pulling into an empty spot near Link’s apartment. He parked the car and looked at Link, who hadn’t let go of his hand.

“Are… are you going to walk me up?” Somehow Link, who had protested Rhett paying for tickets or bringing flowers because it passed the level of pretending they needed for the night, was asking for them to keep pretending longer than Rhett had expected. So he did. He turned off the car and slid the keys into his pocket, opening the door and walking to Link’s side, opening that, too.  _ Just pretend _ .

He followed Link to the door.

“So, uh,” Rhett said, his hands planted firmly in his pocket. “I had fun tonight… uh… with the pretending and stuff.”

“I had fun, too,” Link said quietly. He didn’t move to unlock the door, just stood there looking up at Rhett. He took a step closer, then licked his lips. Rhett didn’t want to make a move if Link was still pretending, but then he wondered if this was part of pretending. If, because he’d started the night so date-like, he needed to finish it that way.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” Rhett asked.

“Yeah,” Link breathed. “I guess so.”

They were losing their window, and Rhett knew that he’d stayed too long. He had to walk away, to break the spell, to remind himself that it was just pretend and the clock was about to strike metaphorical midnight. Instead, Link lifted up on his toes, resting a hand on Rhett’s shoulder for balance, and placed a quick peck on his lips. It happened so quickly Rhett almost thought he’d dreamed it, that it hadn’t actually happened. But when he didn’t remark, Link moved back into Rhett’s space. He was close enough that all Rhett had to do was close the distance, but he was nervous.  _ Just pretend _ was easy when they were holding hands. He worried, though, that if he kissed Link,  _ really  _ kissed him, he couldn’t tell himself he was pretending any longer. Link looked at him expectantly, like there was a question on his mind.

Rhett had to make a move, or not.

So he did. He brushed his fingertips against Link’s jaw, hand cupping his chin. “Is this okay?” Rhett whispered. Link nodded. So Rhett closed the gap, brushed his lips against Link’s, and let the world melt for a moment or two. This wasn’t as quick, as blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, as the first kiss. It was something real, tangible. Link stepped back and Rhett took a deep breath. He wished it could have lasted longer. Link reached in his pocket and fished out his key, but didn’t attempt to unlock the door.

“Hey Rhett?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t think we’re pretending anymore, are we?” Link asked.

“Do you want us to be?” Rhett wondered aloud. What did Link want? That was all that mattered. If Link wanted to say it was all pretend, Rhett would go with that. And if he didn’t want it to be pretend, he’d go with that, too.

“No,” Link admitted. “I… I didn’t want to pretend at all.”

“What?” Rhett didn’t understand what Link meant. Did he mean that he regretted all of it, that he’d wished they’d never done this?

“I mean I didn’t know how to ask you to go with me. I thought I’d ask you to pretend instead. But now I wish I’d have asked you.  _ Really  _ asked you.”

“Huh,” Rhett said. “I think there’s only one way to handle that, then.”

Link looked at him, puzzled expression clear. “What’s that?”

“I guess we’re going to have to have a do-over. I think you’re going to have to actually ask me if you want to ask me.” The ball was in Link’s court. If he wanted to do this,  _ really  _ do this, all he had to do was ask.

“Oh. Then, uh, before you leave I have something to ask you.”

“What do you want to ask me, Link?”

“I heard Lady Bird is really good. Do you want to go to the movies with me?” Link looked up over his glasses at Rhett. “As… as a date?”

“I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my muse, clemwasjustagirl/shewasjustagirl, for the beta reading.


End file.
